Hydraulic motor with pistol grip handle and trigger actuated valve



July 27, 1948-. c. J. JoHNsoN Erm. 2,446,011

HYDRAULIC IOTOR WITH PISTOL GRIP HANDLE AND TRIGGER AGTUATED VALVE' 2 `Shooter-Sheet l Filed Aug. e, 1945 mmvmxs l C .7. Johnson July'zv, 194s.

HYDRAULIC no Filed Aug. 6., 1945 TOR WITH PISTOL GRIP HANDLE AND TRIGGER ACTUATED VALVE v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUM C'JJohn'son F. E .Kang

HTTYS which will be exceedingly eiective for *"poseffor which it is designed. -i'vfTli'ese objects are accomplished bykmeans of roamed/fion 27, 194si HYDRAUL'IC MOTOR WITH PISTOL GRIP HANDLE AND TRIGGER -AQTUATED VALVE Charles J. Johnson, Sacramento, and Frank E.

vKills?lioodland, Calif. y

Application August 8, 1945, Serial No. 609,288

This invention relates generally to an improved pruning device for use in orchards, vineyards, gardens, andthe like.

In particular this invention is directed to, and it is an object to provide, a novel power actuated pruning device adapted to be hand supported by means of a pistol type grip.

Another object of this invention is to provide a pruning device, as above, which includes a uid pressure actuated power cylinder, anda pruning unit which includes a member adapted to -be reciprocated and to which members/aid cylinder is connected in operative relation.` The pruning unit comprises, in different embodiments, pruning shears and a saw.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pruning device, as in the preceding paragraph, in

which the powercylinder is controlled through the medium of a reversing valve; said valve being manually controlled in the embodiment which incorporates the pruning shears, whereby a sinfgle reciprlo'cationv of the cylinder piston can be obtained so that the shears then are actuated once only.4 In the embodiment including a saw, .the valve is automatically controlled or reversed ywhereby the reciprocation of the cylinder piston, and consequently the saw, is continuous during use of the device.

A further object of the invention is to produce asimple'and inexpensive device, and yet one the purhfl'structure and relative arrangement of parts "asf will fully appear by a perusaltof the followingl specification and claim.

` `In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

' Figure 1 is an elevation of the embodimentof 'the pruning device which includes a pruning shear unit.

, VFigure 2 is a, fragmentary sectional elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1,-,illustratlng parvvlticularly the valve controlled power cylinder arlr ,rangement kFigure 3 is a fragmentary elevation o f the tuning 1min` of the embodiment of the device which includes a saw.

, gure 4- is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the embodiment which includes -a saw, and

illustrates particularly the valve controlled power cylinder arrangement therefor.

l Referring now more particularly to the char-y acters of reference on the drawings, and par- 1 claim. (ci. 121-3) ticularly at present to the embodiments of Figs.

l1 and 2, the device comprises a hand-supported power unit, indicated generally at I, and which power unit includes a relativelyl short cylinder 2 formed along vthe bottom with a hollow valve body 3; there being a hand grip 4 depending from the valve body 3 adjacent the rear end of the latter.

A piston 5 is disposed in the cylinder 2 and is secured on the inner end of `a forwardly projecting piston or connecting rod B which extends through a packing 1 in an axial boss 8 on the l front of said cylinder 2.

A slide valve 9 is disposed in the hollow valve body 3, and said slide valve includes a longitudinal passage I0 therein; said passage having an enlarged port II at its rear end and opening downwardly, said port I l being of sumclentextent to register at all times with a fluid pressure feed passage I2 formed inthe hand grip 4. Fluid pressure, such as air under pressure, is

.fed to the passage I2 by'a hose I3 connected to the lower end of the grip l. i

Th'e slide valve 9 includes, in communicationv with the passage I0 and at opposite ends thereof, a pair of upwardly opening ports Il and Il adapted to register with ports Il and lil leading into the cylinder 2. The ports Il and I8 are spaced apart, lengthwise of the slide valve l, a distance less than'the ports I8 and Ill whereby when the ports Hand I8 are in register, the ports I 5 and I1 are out of register, and vice versa. When the ports Il and IB are in register fluid from the opposite side of the cylinder bleeds out of the latter through a relief passage I8 `in valve 9, which then communicates between port I1 and a vent hole4 I9 in the valve body. Conversely, when the ports Il and Il are in register the iluid from the opposite side of the cylinder bleeds out through the port Il into the valve body l and thence out of a vent hole 20 in the forward end of said body. This provides a reversing valve arrangement, and by means of which fluid pressure may be introduced alternately into the cylinder 2 onopposite sides of the piston 5, so as to cause reciprocation of the latter.

The slide valve 8 is normally maintained in retracted position, with the ports I5 and Il in register, by means of a compression spring 2l end of said trlggerbeing enlarged. as at 2l,

and riding in a notch in the bottom of the slide valve 9. It will be seen that 119011 pulling of the f trigger 22 the slide valve 9 is advanced, whereupon the fluid pressure causes retraction of the piston 5, but whenthe trigger is released the slide valve returns to its normal retracted position. and the piston consequently is retracted. It is thus necessary that the trigger be pulled and released once for each reciprocation of the piston 5.

An elongated tubular shank 25 is i'ixed in connection with the boss 3 and projects forwardly therefrom in surrounding relation to the conv necting rod 5. At its forward end the tubular shank 25 supports a pruning unit, indicated generallv'v at 28, and which pruning u nit is actuated by the connecting rod 8, said pruning unit comprising the following: .g s

A collar 21 is fixed on the forward endof the tubular shank 25, and includes a pair of spaced,

vance of the slide valve 49, whereupon the piston- 31 reverses or moves to retracted position. at

which time the other collar strikes and reverses the valve shifting lever 45.- Consequently the valve 4| is shifted beek and forth alternately in' opposition to movement of the piston, and the latter continues to reciprocate as long -as the valve 43 is open.

At its forward end. and concentric to the connecting rod 33. the housing 44 includes a boss 49 to which a tubular and forwardly projecting shank 49 is flxed. At its 'forward endfthe shank 49 has a plunger 59 therein, and to which plunger the forward end of the connecting rod 33 is attached. The plunger 50 includes a pair of forwardly projecting ,transversely spaced but parallel legs 5I parallel forwardly projecting legs 23, between the outer ends of which a pair of intersecting pruning shear blades 29 are pivoted, as at 30. The blades 29 include rearwardly diverging blade shanks 3i.

and pivotally connected links 32 vextend in inwardly converging relation from the outer ends of the blade shanks 3l to a slide 33 carried between the legs 29 and riding in. matching slots 34 therein. The forward end of the connecting rod 6 is attached to the slide 33.

The blades 29 are normally open, and at which time the piston 5 is advanced. With each reciprocation of the piston I, under the control of the trigger 22, as herembefore explained, the blades 29 close and then open. producing an eii'ective and powerful pruning action.

As' the entire device is hand supported, and readily controlled by a finger of the operator on the trigger 22, such device is convenient and easy to' use.

In the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4 the handsupported .powerunit 35 is similar to the power unit I of Figs. 1 and 2, and includes a cylinder 33, a piston 31, a connecting rod 33, a `hollow valve body 39 and a slide valve 40 in said body 39 arranged in reversing relation to the piston 31. In this embodiment the vpower unit also includes a l depending hand grip 4| through which the fluid pressure is supplied to the valve, but here no trigvger is employed and the valve 40 is reversed or v. reciprocated automatically, las will hereinafter appear. However, the supplyof iluid pressure from the passage 42 to the valve is adapted to be turned on or offby .means of a manualvalve 43 in the grip passage 42.

The valve 4l) is automatically reciprocated or reversed, in opposition to the piston 31, whereby to cause 'constant reciprocation of the latter when 1 the valve 43 is open, by means of the following reversing mechanism:

The cylinder 36 is formed with a forwardly projecting housing 44 which surrounds a portion of the connecting rod 35. A transversely extend' ing valve shifting lever 45 is pivoted in the housing 44 in intersecting relation tothe connecting rod 38 and for swinging movement lengthwise of v the device. At its free end the lever-45 is pivoted with a longitudinally extending slide rod 46 which is attached, at its rear end, to the adjacent end of the slide valve 40. Collars 41 on the connecting rod 38 on opposite sides of the valve shifting lever l45 engage and shift said lever at opposite ends of the stroke of the piston 31. By

, reason of this arrangement it will be seen that when the piston 31 reaches an advanced point,- the lever 45 is engaged by the rearmost one of the rcollars 41 and swung to a position to cause ading between the legs 5I, whereby to limit rotation slotted lengthwise. as at 52, and through which slots a shank supported cross or guide pin 53 en- 89885.

A saw blade 54 is pivoted at its rear end be-` tween the forward portions of the legs 5| on a cross pin 55, andsaid saw blade is normally urged in a clockwise direction by a spring 56; there being a stop shoulder 51 on the rear end of the blade 54 adapted to engage a stop pin 58y extendof said blade by the spring 56.

0n one or both sides of the saw blade 54, the

device includes a limb engaging hook 59 which extends forwardly from connection with the front end of the tubular shank 49.

In use of this embodiment of tile invention, the hook 59 is engaged 'over a -limb 60 and the valve 43 when opened. This results in continuing reciprocation of the piston 31, and the saw blade 54, whereby said blade-by proper manipulation of the grip 4i-eifectively and quickly cuts through the limb 60. r From the foregoing description it will be read,-

40 ily -seen that there has been produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the inventions asset forth herein. Y

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device,v

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described .the invention, the following is claimed as new and useful, and upon which Letters Patent is desired:

A hydraulic motor and valve mechanism for the purposedesciibed comprising a hollow pistol grip handle, means for connecting a source of fluid supply to the interior of the handle, a trigger 4pivoted on the handle and having a finger grip at'one end within reach of a finger on a hand gripping the handle, the other end of the trigger being in the form of a rounded head, a valve sleeve formed on the handle and lying transversely of the longitudinal axis of the handle, a`

slide valve disposed in the sleeve, such valve being 'provided with anotch in its circumference, the' for venting the cylinder ports to the atmosphere.

CHARLES J. JOHNSON. FRANK E. KING.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the nle of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Darte Kidder Sept. 22, 1903 Schumacher Feb. 144, 1911 Nurnberger' Feb. ,17, 1920 Kalgren Oct. 291, 1929 Stevens 1 Sept. 29, 1931 R Tear Nov. 23, 193'!l Osborn Jan. 4, 1938 Geldhof Aug. 29, 1939 Johnson Jan. 9 1945 

